Lightning hit the Bees for seven

Netminder Jordan Marr bagged a shutout when MK Lightning despatched Bracknell Bees back to Berkshire after a convincing 7-0 win at MK Arena on Saturday.

Bees had been unable to make the trip to Hull Pirates the previous evening and they probably wished they hadn’t bothered with the much shorter journey to Milton Keynes the next day.

Bracknell’s problems this season have been well documented with numerous player departures, including that of former MK favourite Milan Kostourek. But Lightning were in unsympathetic mood.

Despite the victory Lightning - who had no game on Sunday - have slipped to fifth spot in the English Premier League behind Telford Tigers who recorded a pair of wins at the weekend. Telford are level on points with MK but have won the games series between them.

Sixth placed Swindon Wildcats’ hopes of catching Pete Russell’s team rest largely on the outcome of the clash between the two sides at the Link Centre on Wednesday. Equally a win is vital for Lightning if they are to put clear daylight between them and Wildcats going into the final straight of the league campaign.

On Saturday Lightning took until 2mins 23secs from the end of a tepid first period to open their account but once they did there was probably only one team in it.

By the end of the second session Bees were well and truly buried with five more goals fired past former MK stopper Alex Mettam who actually kept his side in the game at times.

Lewis Hook and Martti Jarventie both had chances to score around the midway mark of the first period before Bees tested Marr without success.

The breakthrough came when Jarventie and Hook both had a hand in Blaz Emersic’s goal on 17mins 37secs.

Jan Bendik ended the first period in the sin bin after being called for hooking in the 18th minute but Lightning were unable to capitalise on the powerplay.

Back at even strength though they doubled their advantage when Markku Tahtinen set up Bobby Chamberlain for goal number two at 21mins 29secs.

MK looked to quickly add to the total with Blaz Emersic threatening before Chamberlain and Tahtinen were suppliers for Hook to make it 3-0 on 24mins 12secs.

Again the powerplay units failed to find the net when Carl Graham was called for slashing in the 25th minute and also when Matt Foord was penalised for boarding Tahtinen a few minutes later.

But once again at even numbers Adam Carr took the tally to 4-0 at 34mins 3secs with assists going to Jordan Cownie and Jarventie.

Two more quick strikes before the second break made it 6-0 with Leigh Jamieson, helped by Frankie Bakrlik and Cownie, registering at 38mins 59secs while Lukas Smital served time for slashing.

Then with Chamberlain, for holding, and Joshua Smith, for roughing, both in the sin bin it was down to Carr, aided by James Griffin, to complete the middle period tally at 39mins 40secs.

Lightning could afford to ease off in the final period but they did add a seventh goal at 49mins 6secs when Tahtinen set up Chamberlain to score.

Christie was penalised for tripping shortly after, giving Bees a chance of a consolation powerplay goal but they were unable to take it.

And just so the last few minutes were not without incident, Chamberlain and Grant McPherson for Lightning and Smith and James Galazzi for Bees, all engaged in a little of the rough stuff before a clash between Bakrlik and Scott Spearing on the buzzer.

Despite all that it was not enough to alter the result in Lightning’s only game of the weekend which sent home fans away happy at the scale of the victory.

On Saturday Lightning entertain Basingstoke Bison who have all but sewn up the league title and need just four more points to do so.